About the National Transitional Jobs Network

Background
The National Transitional Jobs Network (NTJN) is a national coalition dedicated to getting chronically unemployed Americans back to work. We advance effective employment solutions including Transitional Jobs that combine wage-paid work, job skills training, and supportive services to help individuals facing barriers to employment succeed in the workforce. We believe that every person deserves the opportunity to work and support themselves and their families. When everyone who wants to work can find a job, the economy is healthier and America is stronger. We open doors to work through Transitional Jobs programs, research and evaluation, education and training, and policy advocacy.
NTJN Executive Committee Members
Joseph Antolin, Independent Consultant Patrick Baldoz, South Central Workforce Council John Bouman, Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law Richard Greenwald, Independent Consultant Clifford Johnson, Institute for Youth, Education, and Families, National League of Cities Gregg Keesling, RecycleForce Julie Kerksick, Office of Economic Security, Colorado Department of Human Services Debby Kratky, Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County Kelly Matter, RESOURCE, Inc. Marsha Murrington, Local Initiatives Support Corporation Neil Ridley, Center for Law & Social Policy Mindy Tarlow, Center for Employment Opportunities Brad Turner Little, Goodwill Industries International

History
Following welfare reform in 1996, a handful of workforce development, anti-poverty, advocacy, philanthropic, and government leaders formed the NTJN in order to advance and promote effective employment strategies, including Transitional Jobs, to help individuals facing barriers to employment enter and succeed in the workforce. By 2001, stakeholders determined that a deliberate effort was needed to formalize, fund, and staff a national network focused on building program capacity and advancing a federal policy agenda to help low-income, chronically unemployed Americans get back to work. In 2003, Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights became the NTJNs host agency. Today, the NTJN has grown into a national coalition of over 5,000 stakeholders in over 30 states. Our coalition is made up of city, state, and federal policy makers; community workforce organizations; and anti-poverty nonprofit service providers and advocacy organizations.

Highlights
The NTJN is dedicated to getting chronically unemployed Americans back to work through project initiatives; education, training, and technical assistance projects; and policy advocacy. Project Initiatives Currently, the NTJN is engaged in two long-term projects that advance our understanding of employment and policy solutions aimed at connecting specific populations to work.

 Working to End Homelessness (WEH) Initiative: With support from the Butler Family Fund, the NTJN completed the first phase of the WEH initiative in 2012, releasing a comprehensive set of resources to help homeless service providers, program staff, and policymakers 1) Understand the value of employment as an anti-homelessness strategy, and 2) Plan and implement quality employment programs for individuals experiencing homelessness. The national response to these resources has been substantial and positive, and has served to further establish the NTJN as a major resource and repository of knowledge regarding employment solutions for people experiencing homelessness. With support from the Open Society Foundations Campaign for Black Male Achievement, the NTJN launched a multi-year project dedicated to opening doors to economic advancement for low-income black men across the country. The project seeks to develop and expand effective employment interventions for low-income black men; to advocate for improved employment programming and child support, fatherhood, and reentry services; and to support local, state, and federal collaboration among the stakeholders and systems dedicated to the economic advancement of black men. Education, Training, and Technical Assistance The NTJN is dedicated to helping build Transitional Jobs programs and to defining and supporting best practices in the field. Our commitment to evidence-based practice ensures the effectiveness of the employment solutions we advance. The NTJNs education, training, and technical assistance work includes: Developing and disseminating best practice guides and briefs. Designing training curriculums, orientations, and webinars for program staff, advocates, decision makers, and other stakeholders. Direct assistance to Transitional Jobs programs with program planning, improvement, and implementation of best practices. Guiding and supporting the development and implementation of federal demonstration projects to assess the efficacy of Transitional Jobs. Policy Advocacy America is stronger and the economy is healthier when everyone who wants to work can find a job and move toward economic self-sufficiency. The NTJN is dedicated to ensuring that federal policies and systems account for the employment needs of those who are chronically unemployed and underemployed. The NTJNs federal policy issue areas include: Child Support, Fatherhood, and Employment Criminal Justice, Reentry, and Employment Homelessness Federal Budget Job Creation Job Quality Welfare and Income Supports Workforce Development Veterans and Employment

The National Transitional Jobs Network (NTJN) is a national coalition dedicated to getting chronically unemployed Americans back to work. We advance effective employment solutions including Transitional Jobs that combine wage-paid work, job skills training, and supportive services to help individuals facing barriers to employment succeed in the workforce. We believe that every person deserves the opportunity to work and support themselves and their families. When everyone who wants to work can find a job, the economy is healthier and America is stronger. We open doors to work through Transitional Jobs programs, research and evaluation, education and training, and policy advocacy. The NTJN is a project of Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights.